Hand Building Pottery at Home: Attaching the Base Like a Pro

The standard join is how you attach a flat base to a wall in slab building pottery, when that wall sits straight up from the base. Cut the base a little too big or a little too small, or skip compressing the seam properly, and you end up with a gap, an uneven base, or a crack that only shows up after firing. In this clay tutorial I take you through the whole process. Levelling the top of your wall, tracing and cutting the base at 90 degrees, compressing the join, and blending the inside seam with a coil. No slab roller, no wheel, no studio needed. This is part of my Slab Building Basics series, a step by step guide to pottery hand building for beginners. Everything here is designed for pottery at home. All you need is a table, a rolling pin and a bag of clay. 💗 ======================================= ✨ Chapters ✨ 0:00 Intro 0:58 Tools used in this tutorial 1:11 Attaching the base 3:41 Can you reach the inside seam? 4:21 Blending the inside seam 6:16 Standard join checklist 6:29 What to do next ======================================= 💗 Free template ~ https://mailchi.mp/cutclaylove/freetu... Sign up to my email list and I'll send you a free template to get you started, along with more tips and tricks. ======================================= 💗 Templates and printable instructions ~ https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/44452... This tutorial uses the Flared Vase template, so you can skip drafting the shapes yourself. ======================================= 🛠️ Tools used in this tutorial 🛠️ Wood chopping board ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R85M9GC/ Spray bottle ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1RZX5QB/ Banding wheel ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08L7F2DJ1/ Silicone mat ~ https://www.ikea.com/en/p/baktraditio... Needle tool ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077TN5J8Y/ Knife ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073FWD7R8/ Scoring tool ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078BKY2W1/ Paintbrush ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098PVVQ19/ Wood modelling tool ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XX84VNI/ Rib tool ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HBDFCBT/ Sponge ~ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UXI8C90/ ======================================= What you'll learn in this clay tutorial How to level the top of your wall so it sits flat against the base Why the base template is oversized, and how to cut it down to size How to trace your wall and cut the base at a 90 degree angle How to score and join the base without leaving a gap How to compress the join by pushing, twisting and tapping How to add a coil to reinforce the inside seam What to do when the opening is too narrow to reach inside How to dry your piece so the join stays strong ======================================= Standard join checklist 1. Level your wall to create a flat and even surface to join 2. Base template is oversized, always cut it down 3. Trace the wall and cut the base at 90 degrees 4. Push and twist to compress — lightly tap on the table 5. Add a coil to the inside seam, or skip if you can't reach 6. Base side up to dry, wrap the rim if more walls follow ======================================= More from Cut Clay Love 💗 Looking for more pottery ideas? All my templates and printable instructions are in my shop ~ https://cutclaylove.etsy.com Have a question? Leave it in the comments below and I'll get back to you. Happy Potting! ======================================= #slabbuilding #potteryforbeginners #potteryhandbuilding #clayslab #potteryathome #handbuiltpottery #slabpottery #potterytutorial